The applicability of international law to cyber operations is nowadays consensual. States, scholars and other actors are now discussing questions pertaining to the interpretation of the rules and principles of international law in this specific context. While some States have developed, together with an increasing number of non-state actors such as tech companies, a practice of public attribution, these States do not invoke breached rules of international law nor secondary rules of State responsibility in this practice. So far, the questions of responsibility, liability and accountability remain rather absent from State practice. Addressing these questions is also becoming increasingly challenging with the development of cyber operations involving a plurality of actors of different nature, more or less coordinated, operating in cyberspace to achieve a common harmful outcome. The interweaving of contributions in cyberspace and the current fragmentation of the frameworks of answerability depending on the type of actor create important challenges for the stability of cyberspace, international relations, and our societies. States and other actors are exploring new solutions to deal with this challenge. The European Union has developed a collective diplomatic and sanction mechanism called the EU Cyber Diplomatic Toolbox, while the United States has developed a practice of public attribution through indictments. However, these are only partial solutions and focus on punishment and deterrence rather than the redress of the harmful consequence.
Dr. François Delerue is an Assistant Professor of Law and a member of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for Law and Automation (Lawtomation) at IE University. He is also an Associate Fellow of The Hague Program on International Cyber Security and the GEODE Center (Paris 8 University). Additionally, he is a Co-chair of the Committee on Digital Challenges for International Law for the preparation of the 150th Anniversary Conference of the International Law Association. His book ‘Cyber Operations and International Law’ was published by Cambridge University Press in 2020 and was awarded the 2021 Book Prize of the European Society for International Law.
Dr. Delerue conducts research focusing predominantly on the application of international law to cyberspace. More broadly, he is interested in how new technologies and activities (space activities, cyber, robotics and artificial intelligence) challenge international law and international relations. Dr. Delerue regularly lectures at Sciences Po, the International Institute for Humanitarian Law at Sanremo (Italy), the French War College (École de Guerre) and in the Master in Cybersecurity of the French Military Academy of Saint-Cyr. He is frequently invited to present at conferences and give guest lectures internationally.
- Speaker
- Francois Delerue
- Hosted by
- School of Law
- Venue
- Hybrid Event (On Campus Venue - A21)
- Contact
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- Event is free and open to all. To register for the online event please email law-research@abdn.ac.uk
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